The Ulster-Scots Dialect Boundaries in the Province of Ulster*

Robert J. Gregg

The Phonological Questionnaire

An alternative questionnaire was then put into operation, based on some of the historical phonological differences that separate Scots from English dialects in general. These lists proved to be very successful, for it was quickly established that the typical Scottish phonological patterns had remained entrenched in the areas of intensive 17th century Scots settlement.

Far from encroaching on English-settled territory, however, these Scottish speech forms were now markedly recessive vis-à-vis the UHE dialects. In any case, the opposition between the Lowland Scots forms and those of English provenance provided almost everywhere a sharply-defined border.

As stated above, this phonological questionnaire was based on an analysis resulting from over thirty years of research on the US dialect of Glenoe in E Antrim. The starting point for this analysis was a detailed phonetic study, leading to a synchronic phonological description, upon which firm foundation was based a retrospective diachronic phonological analysis. The latter yielded lists of words whose phonology diverged from and contrasted with that of UHE in general.

In compiling the Questionnaire these words were grouped mostly on the basis of the identity of the stressed vowel reflexes in the present-day dialect. Thus, it was hoped incidentally to elicit a spread of words sufficient to exemplify for each informant his full range of vocalic phonemes along with important variants.

The questionnaire based on the Glenoe materials was first plied in the Laggan, but was progressively modified and reduced to its essential core. It was then adopted for the rest of the investigations and gave equally good results in NE Down, throughout county Antrim in NE Derry and once again during a final visit to Donegal (to follow the chronological sequence of the various aspects of the fieldwork).

The Final Phonological Questionnaire as used throughout the survey (33)

List 1
1.BOUGHT18.NIGHT34.dight
2.BRIGHT19.OUGHT (pronoun)35.dreegh
3.BROUGHT20.RIGHT36.forfoghen
4.COUGH21.ROUGH37.greeshagh
5.DAUGHTER22.SIGH38.hough
6.DOUGH23.SIGHT39.laghter
7.DRAUGHT24.SOUGH40.laigh
8.EIGHT25.STRAIGHT41.paghle
9.ENOUGH25a.THOUGHT42.pegh
10.FIGHT26.TIGHT42a.scraigh
11.FOUGHT27.TOUGH43.sheugh
12.HEIGHT28.TROUGH44.spleughan
13.HIGH29.WEIGHT45.spraghle
14.LAUGH30.WRIGHT46.styaghie
15.LIGHT31.WROUGHT47.weght
16.MIGHT32.baghle
17.NEIGH33.brugh
List 2
48.ABOVE65.groop81a.SHOE (horse)
49.AFTERNOON66.GUM82.*SHOES
50.BEHOVE67.HOOD83.SHOOT
51.BLOOD68.JUST (adv.)84.SOON
52.BOARD69.loof85.SOOT
53.BOOT70.MOON86.SPOON
54.BROTHER71.MOORS87.STOOL
55.cloot72.MOTHER88.TO
56.COOL73.MOVE89.TOO
57.CUD74.OTHER90.TOOTH
58.DONE75.POOR91.ENOUGH
59.FLOOR76.PUT92.HOOK
60.(DOOR)77.ROOD92a.flyuggy
61.FOOL78.ROOST93.NOOK
62.FOOT79.ROOTS94.PLOUGH
63.GOOD80.SCHOOL95.sheugh
64.GOOSE81.SHOE96.TOUGH
List 3
97.BEHIND106.STUBBLE115.BUILD
98.BLIND107.SUMMER116.BRIDGE
99.CLIMB108.SUN117.RIDGE TILES
100.FIND109.TUP (ram)118.trig (neat)
101.BULL110.ASUNDER119.CHEST
102.DOZEN111.TRUNDLE120.RED
103.DUN (colour)112.RUN121.TOGETHER
104.NUT113.*SUCH a122.TREMBLE
105.SON114.BRIDGE123.VETCH
List 4
124.AFTER144.JACKDAW162.HARM
125.AFTERGRASS144a.LADDER163.HARVEST
126.APPLE145.MAGPIE164.MARBLES
127.AXLE146.MANNER165.MARCH (DYKE)
128.BLADDER147.MASTER166.* MARRIED TO
129.BLADE148.MATTER167.NARROW
130.BRASS149.PANE168.PART
131.CRADLE150.PLASTER169.PARTRIDGE
132.FAMILY151.RATHER170.SHARP
133.FATHER152.SACK171.STARVING
134.FLAT153.SATURDAY172.TART (adj.)
135.GANDER154.SHAFT173.YARD
136.GATHER155.TRAVEL174.BRANCH
137.GLAD156.WASH175.HAUNCH
138.GLASS157.ARM176.STANCHION
139.GRASS158.CARRY177.DINNER
140.HALTER159.CART178.KINDLING
141.HAMMER160.FARM179.EITHER
142.HAMES161.GARDEN180.NEITHER
143.HASP
List 5
181.ALLOW208.COARSE234a.OUT
182.BOW (v.)209.COUNCIL235.OWL
183.BROW210.COUNT236.PLUM
184.(RIVERBANK)211.COUNTY237.POACHER
185.COW212.COURSE238.POISON
186.*COWS213.COURT239.POUCH
187.FLOUR214.CROWN241.POUR
188.FLOWER215.DISCOURSE242.POWDER
189.HOUR216.DOUBT243.PROUD
190.HOW217.DOWN244.ROUND
191.NOW218.DROUGHT245.RUST
192.POWER219.DROWN246.SCOWL
193.SHOWER220.drook247.SHROUD
194.SOUR221.DUCK1 (dodge)248.SNOUT
195.SOW (n.)222.DUCK2 (drench)249.SOUND (n.)
196.THOUSAND223.DUCK (n.)249a.SORREL
197.BLUE224.foisonless250.SOUTH
198.LUKEWARM225.footer251.SPOUT
199.PLOUGH226.GOWN252.SPROUT
200.FULL227.HOUSE253.stoon
201.PULL228.*HOUSES254.STOUT
202.COULTER229.LOUD255.SUCK
203.SHOULDER230.LOUSE256.SUPPLE
204.(POWDER)231.MOUSE257.TOWN
205.ABOUT232.MOUTH258.THUMB
206.ACCOUNT233.OUR (stressed)259.TROUT
207.BROWN234.OUR (weak)260.GOLD
List 6
261.QUILT277.WILL292.(ANY)
262.SWITCH278.WIND293.burn (stream)
263.SWITHER279.WINDOW294.FOUND
264.TWENTY280.WINNOW295.GROUND
265.TWINS281.WINTER296.MOUNTAIN
266.TWISTER282.WISH297.MOURN
267.WHIN283.WISP298.POUND (stg.)
268.SHIP284.WIT299.POUND (lb.)
269.WHISKEY285.WITCH299a.POUND (animal)
270.WHISKERS286.WITHER300.BRITTLE
271.WHISPER287.WITHY301.chullers
272.WHISTLE288.WIZARD302.CINDERS
273.WHITLOW289.WRINKLE303.lum
274.WHITTLE290.WRIST304.STEADY
275.whittret (stoat)291.MANY305.STITHY
276.WILDERNESS
List 7
306.attercap325.KNOB344.TONGS
307.caup326.LOBSTER345.WRONG
308.CHOP327.LOFT346.QUIT
309.CROP (harvest)328.OFF347.SWELL
310.CROP (of bird)329.OFTEN348.TWELVE
311.DROP330.SOFT349.WEATHER
312.HOP331.TOM350.WEB
313.LOPSIDED332.BOTTLE (hay, etc.)351.WEDDING
314.PROP333.FOND352.WELL (n.)
315.SHOP334.MUST353.WET (adj.)
316.slap335.PORRIDGE354.(WETTING)
317.SOB336.ALONG355.WHELM
318.STOP337.AMONG356.WHELP
319.TOP338.BELONG357.WREN
320.OPEN339.LONG358.WRESTLE
321.BOB340.SONG359.WADE
322.HOB341.STRONG360.wale
323.HOBBLE342.THONGS361.RUSHES
324.JOB343.THRONG
List 8
362.ALL378.TALK394.CLAW
363.*AT ALL379.WALK395.DRAW
364.BALL380.BLOW396.HAW
365.CALL381.CROW (n.)397.HAWK
366.FALL382.CROW (v.)398.JACKDAW
367.HALL383.MOW399.JAW
368.miscall384.ROW (series)400.LAW
369.SMALL385.SNOW401.SAW (v.)
370.WALL386.SOW402.SAW (n.)
371.BALK387.tawse403.BARROW
372.BEHOLDEN388.thrawen403a.logg
373.dwalm389.thraw hook403b.moghy
374.SALT390.AWAY404.TASSLE
375.SCALD391.TWO
376.scald392.WHERE
377.STALK393.WHO
List 9
405.BEESTINGS421.keek436.DEAD
406.BLAZE422.KING437.(DIED)
407.BREAST423.LIE (n.)438.DEAF
408.BRIAR424.LIE (v.)439.*DEAFEN
409.creepie425.LIVE440.freet
410.DEVIL426.MEADOW441.HEAD
411.DIE427.reek442.LEAD (n.)
412.DRIP428.SICK443.MARE
413.EYE429.speel444.nieve
414.*EYES430.STREET (farmyard)445.PEAR
415.FIELD431.SWIM446.PHEASANT
416.FLY (n.)432.THREAD447.SPREAD
417.FLY (v.)433.WET (v.)448.SWEAR
418.FRIEND434.WIDOW449.WEAR
419.greet (cry)435.BREAD450.WELL (adv.)
420.HIGH
List 10
451.ALONE471.NONE491.DEATH
452.blate (bashful)472.NOTHING492.EASTER
453.BONE473.ONE492a.ELEVEN
454.BOTH474.OWN (adj.)493.FLEA
455.blae475.ROPE494.NEAT
456.brae476.SLOE495.QUIET
457.BROAD477.SO496.REAPER
458.CLOTH478.SORE497.REASON
459.*CLOTHES479.spae498.SCHEME
460.COMB480.STONE499.SEASON
461.FROM481.STRAW500.SEAT
462.GABLE482.TOE500a.SEVEN
463.graip483.WHOLE501.SHEAF
464.HOME484.BEAK502.SHED
465.KALE485.BEAST503.SPECIAL
466.LOAD486.BEAT504.TREAT
467.LOAN487.CHEAP505.weans
468.MORE488.CHEAT506.hain
469.MOST(LY)489.CREAM507.WEAK
470.NO (adj.)490.CREATURE
List 11
508.boke514.glomin519.ROCK
509.bole515.gopen519a.scobe
510.CORD516.hoke520.SHORT
511.CORN517.lonin521.snoke
512.DOG518.MORNING522.SORT
513.FROTH518a.NOT523.thole
List 12
524.AY (always)547.WHEY557.PIE
525.BAY548.BOIL (n.)558.STAY
526.BRAY549.AY (always)559.STY (for pigs)
527.CLAY550.AYE (yes)560.DIE
528.gey550a.BAY561.DYE
529.HAY550b.BUY562.EYE
530.MAY550c.gey563.I
531.PAY550d.GUY564.LIE (fib)
532.quey551.MINE (n.)565.LIE (recline)
543.REINS552.MINE (adj.)566.FIFE
544.STAY553.MAY (month)567.FIVE
544a.STEEP554.MY568.PRICE
545.WAY555.NEIGHBOUR569.PRIZE
546.WEIGH556.PAY
List 13
570.BOLD590.KNOLL602.goup
571.COLD591.MOULD (BOARD)603.GROW
572.FOLD592.POLE604.LOOSE
573.HOLD593.ROLL605.LOOSEN
574.OLD594.SHOULDER606.lown
575.SCOLD595.SOUL607.loup
576.SOLD596.BESTOW608.OVER
577.TOLD597.CHEW609.PONY
578.BOLSTER598.coup610.THAW
579.BOLT599.EWE611.TOW
580.BOWL600.FOUR612.moily
581.COLT601.gowl613.stoigh
582.JOLT
List 14
614.DO632.CAN'T649.TAKE
615.DON'T633.COULDN'T650.TOOK
616.I DON'T634.MIGHTN'T651.TAKEN
617.DOES635.SHOULDN'T652.BEGAN
618.DOESN'T636.WON'T653.BEGUN
619.DIDN'T637.WOULDN'T654.HIT (pt.)
620.HE MADE ME DO IT638.AMN'T655.LET (pt.)
621.HAVE639.ISN'T656.SIT (pt.)
622.HAVEN'T640.AREN'T657.SET (pt.)
623.HAVE TO641.WASN'T658.IS/ARE THERE?
624.HAS642.WEREN'T659.WAS/WERE THERE?
625.HASN'T643.BREAK660.I'll have to go
626.HAS TO644.BROKE661.Where are you going to?
627.HADN'T645.BROKEN662.I'll not be able to get
628.HAD HAD646.GIVE663.It doesn't matter about it.
629.BEHOVE TO647.GAVE664.Is there any more bread?
630.DAREN'T648.GIVEN665.He made me cry
631.MUSTN'T

Introduction | Historical and Geographical Factors | Lexical Questionnaire | Phonological Questionnaire | Discussion | Notes